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The Current Week in Review
July 9, 2021
Bishop Palmer's email address

Bishop Gregory V. Palmer has established an IGRC email address which can provide the communications channel to him during this six-month interim period when Bishop Frank Beard is on medical leave.

Persons wishing to contact Bishop Palmer may to do so at: bishop.palmer@igrc.org

This will be the ONLY email address which Bishop Palmer will use to correspond on official IGRC business. Should you receive any other email, call the Area Office at (217) 529-3820 to confirm that it is legitimate before opening attachments are doing anything with the email.
5 rules for engaging taboo subjects in churches

Are certain topics off limits in your church? If so, people may feel their real-life problems and concerns simply aren’t welcome in the church. Elizabeth Hagan suggests five rules for engaging tough topics bravely, honestly and openly.
We want to hear your stories

Your Conference New Streams Team would like to hear your stories! We know stories are powerful in discipleship/disciple-making so we want to hear your stories of times in your life- your walk with Christ- that led you to take 'the next step' in your journey towards Christlikeness.

This week we'd like to hear when/how/who helped you come to an increased understanding of the Holy Spirit. Did you have an experience of Spirit's presence?

Did you read something that just 'clicked'? Who helped you become more aware of Spirit's presence and work in your life, and how did they do it? *Caveat*! Instead of answering in this thread, we invite you to visit our new page Idea Exchange - IGRC; click 'request to join', and once admitted place your story in the comments of this same post. We look forward to hearing from you!
Time to order your Journal-Yearbook

This is the last week for ordering the 2021 Annual Conference Journal-Yearbook.

Lay Members to Annual Conference and Clergy Members are entitled to receive one free copy of the Journal-Yearbook. Extra copies may be purchased at a cost of $12 for a printed journal or $4 for a CD that can is searchable on the computer. Upon publication, the Journal-Yearbook is also posted on the Conference website.

By default, persons receive a CD as their free choice. However, you may request that your free copy by clicking the link below and completing the order form.

Persons wishing additional copies may also place their orders and may either pay for them by credit card upon submitting their order or mail a check, payable to IGRC to: Journal Committee, P. O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207.

Please understand that if you DO NOT place an order by July 15, you will receive a free copy of the Journal Yearbook in CD form rather than in printed form, unless you have opted out of receiving the Journal in the past in which case you will receive neither.
September appeal for Our Conference, Our Kids in honor of Bishop Beard's fifth anniversary

Sept. 1 marks the fifth anniversary of Bishop Frank Beard's tenure as Bishop of the Illinois Area and the Committee on Episcopacy and Our Conference Our Kids Steering Team are collaborating to underscore our appreciation for Bishop Beard’s leadership.

Please join us in celebrating his ministry by engaging in prayer and by collecting a special offering in September from Sunday, Sept. 5 to Sept. 26.

Additional resources will be made available for churches to use during September.
U.S. bishops take on expanded assignments

Starting Sept 1, United Methodist bishops across the United States will take on additional work as some of their colleagues retire.

With the second pandemic-caused delay of General Conference, the Council of Bishops also has postponed the jurisdictional conferences that elect U.S. episcopal leaders. The five U.S. jurisdictional conferences are now scheduled for Nov. 2-4, 2022, with central conference elections in Europe, Africa and the Philippines to follow.
General Conference, The United Methodist Church’s top lawmaking assembly now scheduled for next year, sets the denominational budget and thus the number of bishops.

In the meantime, 11 U.S. bishops who already postponed their retirement after General Conference’s first delay are stepping down or taking on new roles as they bump up against the denomination’s age requirements for bishops to retire. Two have already taken new roles with the Council of Bishops. Of the other retirements, six take effect Sept. 1, one on Oct. 1 and two on Jan. 1, 2022.

That leaves other bishops to take on interim roles. Five bishops who planned to retire also have agreed to stay on.
Classifieds
Coordinator of Camping and Retreat Ministries

The Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United Methodist Church is looking for a creative and confident leader to join our team as the Coordinator of Camping and Retreat Ministries. This person will provide senior-level leadership to multi-site camping ministries programs, oversee program and management site staff, manage a significant budget area, lead marketing and promotion of camps, and provide visionary leadership for camping and retreat ministries as they align with The United Methodist Church’s mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. This person will live on-site at the beautiful East Bay Camp on Lake Bloomington in Hudson Illinois.
United Methodist Center Contact Information
USPS (U.S. Postal Service)
P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207
Office Phone: 217-529-2040
UPS and FedEx deliveries only use the street address:
United Methodist Center
5900 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62711
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